One of my favorite things about the new MusicSpoke project (follow us on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram) is that I get to spend time over the next few weeks talking with composers. I’m trying to learn some of the common problems we all face as composers. I’m also wondering if there is a way that we can make things better for everyone.

Also, did I mention I get to talk to composers? Here are some of the fabulous people I spoke to today. You should go listen to their music and buy thousands of copies and commission them. Also, if you know other composers, tell them to get in touch with me. I’m trying to talk to lots of them.

Reg Unterseher is a wonderful composer. He has a broad catalogue of works, but one of my favorite things he’s been doing lately is working with socially conscious texts. You can visit his website to explore lots of it here.  I listened to this haunting work just the other day, and it hasn’t let go of me since then.

Lane Harder, aside from just being a mensch, is a fabulous composer. Every time I listen to Lane’s music, I get the very clear sense that I am hearing a deep, musical mind that is committed to Old World craftsmanship. I love that very much. You should go to his Soundcloud page here. There is music that has great depth and can bear up under repeated hearings. One of my favorites is Circus Plenus Clamor Ingens Ianuae Tensae.

Sydney Guillaume is a brilliant Haitian composer. He is insightful about many things, and he is always great for conversation. I only met Sydney for the first time last year, but since we both started out with Walton, I’ve been aware of his music for many years. Whatever Sydney writes seems to have some kind of honesty about it that really attracts me. It is well crafted, fun, and serious all at the same time. I haven’t spent much time with him, but from what I know, that it just like Sydney himself.
His website is here. One of my favorite pieces is below, but you should also check some of his Latin settings for extraordinary beauty. Ego Sum is my favorite.

I also had the chance to talk to two up and coming lady composers. Caitlin Gilmore and Rachel Whelan (you can check their Soundcloud pages here and here.) I love the eagerness and earnestness that is coming from these two ladies, and I expect big things from them in the future.